


Wakeman

by kaizoku



Series: Summer Pornathon Entries 2011 [6]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Denial, Fade to Black, Kissing, M/M, Sleep, Sleepiness, Snuggling, Summer Pornathon 2011, Team Gluttony
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-09-04
Updated: 2012-09-04
Packaged: 2017-11-13 13:54:49
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 753
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/504214
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kaizoku/pseuds/kaizoku
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Three scenarios with Arthur waking - and watching - Merlin.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Wakeman

**Author's Note:**

> Written for Summer Pornathon 2011, challenge 7 - Sleep.

Merlin sleeps on his side or his stomach, on top of his blankets or tangled in them, without a stitch or sometimes (a grudging nod to propriety, Arthur thinks) in the same shirt he's worn the day before. His mousehole of a room is always warm, even on the coldest days, the heat Merlin generates in his sleep captured within its walls. When awake, Merlin is always moving, fidgeting, a walking disaster area, and his stillness draws Arthur's eye strangely to the angles of his pale limbs, the dark hair at his nape, the tiny movements beneath his eyelids and his pink lips gently parted by breath…

And the fact that Arthur even knows this, that he has to stomp down the stairs to Gaius' quarters and fling open the door to Merlin's room, that he has to catch himself staring at Merlin - at his - 

\-- at his _blatant_ display of indolence when he is _supposed_ to be awake and bringing Arthur breakfast and helping him dress and instead is all sleepy and soft, curled up like a small animal in a bed that, for all it is half the size of Arthur's own, still tempts him to lie down and --

"Get up, Merlin, you lazybones!" Arthur shouts, ripping the covers back and Merlin _whimpers_ and then stretches himself like a cat and yawns… while Arthur stands there, struggling with his impulses.

"If you're _not_ upstairs in ten minutes, it's the stocks again," Arthur tells him as sternly as he can. Merlin's eyes slit open, blue as the morning sky, and Arthur stomps back out.

* * *

Then there's a morning after a banquet when Merlin is asleep in the chair by the fireplace, his arms hanging down and his face lax. Arthur thinks of the night before: too much ale and laughter, leaning on Merlin's shoulder, flickering torchlight on Merlin's fingers as they pulled down his trousers and unbuttoned his jacket. Arthur imagines Merlin sitting down - closing his eyes for a moment…

Arthur realizes he has been staring at the stubble on Merlin's chin, the sweet curve of his neck against the dark wood and Arthur's hand twitches forward, wanting to touch the spot where delicate bones meet.

_I must still be half-drunk,_ Arthur thinks as he touches - not skin but fabric, just the hem. He puts his head next to Merlin's, smells his hair, scent of smoke and water. Opens his eyes and sees an expanse of smooth skin, the detail of closed eye and lashes, the horizon line of the nose - familiar yet foreign so close up. Greatly daring, he trails his lips over the cheekbone, down, down to the corner of Merlin's mouth, and hesitates - a beat - before pressing a guilty kiss there.

He feels more than sees Merlin twitch and his eyes flicker open and Arthur backs away like a horse shying, horrified to feel his face heating with blood. He can't meet Merlin's confused gaze, turning away to look out the window.

"What happened?" Merlin asks, voice sleep-rough.

Arthur swallows. "You woke up, finally."

Of course Merlin would wake up the one time Arthur didn't want him to.

* * *

There's too bright light in his eyes. Arthur winces, trying to pull his blankets over his head but they won't budge. He pulls harder, determined to fall back into his dream, and they grumble at him and then moan, "Not time to get up yet."

Arthur squints open his eyes, because his bedclothes don't usually fight him, let alone _talk back_. There's an ear right in front of him and Arthur looks at it for a minute, uncomprehending, before he processes that it's attached to a body which is currently draped over him.

"Merlin, I hope you have a good explanation for this."

"Hmm," Merlin says, happily snuggling into him. Arthur is still half-asleep and his mind is stuck somewhere between "gah, adorable" and "ow, bony ribs and elbows" but his cock is wide awake and reacting in a way that will be decidedly noticeable if Merlin is anywhere near conscious. 

Arthur tries, slowly, slowly to slide out from under but Merlin squirms closer, his arms tightening and hot breath tickling Arthur's neck. Merlin cracks one eye open and then, very deliberately undulates his hips.

"You," Arthur sputters before Merlin licks at his mouth, a provocation that demands recompense. Arthur rolls them over, knees open Merlin's legs and takes full advantage of their position.

"Figured it would be easier for you to wake me up this way," Merlin grins after, breathing fast.


End file.
